First reading 1 Samuel 24:3-21
I will not raise my hand against the Lord’s anointed
Saul took three thousand men chosen from the whole of Israel and went in search of David and his men east of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. He came to the sheepfolds along the route where there was a cave, and went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave; David’s men said to him, ‘Today is the day of which the Lord said to you, “I will deliver your enemy into your power, do what you like with him.”’ David stood up and, unobserved, cut off the border of Saul’s cloak. Afterwards David reproached himself for having cut off the border of Saul’s cloak. He said to his men, ‘The Lord preserve me from doing such a thing to my lord and raising my hand against him, for he is the anointed of the Lord.’ David gave his men strict instructions, forbidding them to attack Saul.
Saul then left the cave and went on his way. After this, David too left the cave and called after Saul, ‘My lord king!’ Saul looked behind him and David bowed to the ground and did homage. Then David said to Saul, ‘Why do you listen to the men who say to you, “David means to harm you”? Why, your own eyes have seen today how the Lord put you in my power in the cave and how I refused to kill you, but spared you. “I will not raise my hand against my lord,” I said “for he is the anointed of the Lord.” O my father, see, look at the border of your cloak in my hand. Since I cut off the border of your cloak, yet did not kill you, you must acknowledge frankly that there is neither malice nor treason in my mind. I have not offended against you, yet you hunt me down to take my life. May the Lord be judge between me and you, and may the Lord avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be laid on you. (As the old proverb says: Wickedness goes out from the wicked, and my hand will not be laid on you.) On whose trail has the king of Israel set out? On whose trail are you in hot pursuit? On the trail of a dead dog! On the trail of a single flea! May the Lord be the judge and decide between me and you; may he take up my cause and defend it and give judgement for me, freeing me from your power.’
When David had finished saying these words to Saul, Saul said, ‘Is that your voice, my son David?’ And Saul wept aloud. ‘You are a more upright man than I,’ he said to David ‘for you have repaid me with good while I have repaid you with evil. Today you have crowned your goodness towards me since the Lord had put me in your power yet you did not kill me. When a man comes on his enemy, does he let him go unmolested? May the Lord reward you for the goodness you have shown me today. Now I know you will indeed reign and that the sovereignty in Israel will be secure in your hands.’
Responsorial Psalm 56(57):2-4,6,11
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy
for in you my soul has taken refuge.
In the shadow of your wings I take refuge
till the storms of destruction pass by.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.
I call to God the Most High,
to God who has always been my help.
May he send from heaven and save me
and shame those who assail me.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.
O God, arise above the heavens;
may your glory shine on earth!
for your love reaches to the heavens
and your truth to the skies.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.
Gospel Mark 3:13-19
He appointed twelve to be his companions
Jesus went up into the hills and summoned those he wanted. So they came to him and he appointed twelve; they were to be his companions and to be sent out to preach, with power to cast out devils. And so he appointed the Twelve: Simon to whom he gave the name Peter, James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges or ‘Sons of Thunder’; then Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the man who was to betray him.
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Imperfect disciples
Jesus chose the Twelve, a diverse group of people, to be His close disciples. We have Simon was a zealot who was full of passion for the independence of his people from Roman rule. Surely, he would have some tensions with Matthew, the tax collector, who worked for the Romans. James and John wanted to be in the important places in the group. Peter denied Jesus publicly, and Judas betrayed Him for thirty silver coins. They were an imperfect lot in the eyes of the world. Yet, Jesus chose them, not because of their talents and merits, but for what they could become under His guidance.
“Yet we who have this spiritual treasure are like common clay pots, in order to show that the supreme power belongs to God, not to us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). We are like ordinary clay pots, weak and imperfect, yet we hold the greatest treasure of Jesus’ presence within us. He can work wonders through us. The invitation each day from Jesus is to be with Him and allow Him to be the Companion in our lives.
Question for reflection:
Am I aware that Jesus has chosen me to be with Him and sent me to do His mission?
Am I aware that Jesus has chosen me to be with Him and sent me to do His mission?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr. Sandra Seow FMVD.
